Lawlor-MacDonald, Silva-Vera 2 Targeted for UFC on FX 3 in Virginia

Thiago Silva is expected to return to the Octagon on May 15. | Photo: Dave Mandel

Expected to take place at the Patriot Center in Fairfax, Va., the event will also feature a middleweight pairing between Tom Lawlor and Jason MacDonald. The UFC’s last trip to the Patriot Center occurred in 2010 when Gray Maynard outpointed Nate Diaz via split decision in the main event of Fight Night 20.

Silva and Vera previously met at UFC 125. The Brazilian dominated his American opponent for three rounds, badly breaking Vera’s nose in the process. However, the verdict was later changed to a no-contest by the Nevada State Athletic Commission after Silva admitted to altering his urine sample to mask prohibited substances.

According to Silva, who had been on the sideline for a year due to a back injury, he had re-injured his back prior to the contest and had taken injections containing banned substances rather than withdraw from the bout.

The 29-year-old had his license revoked for one year by the NSAC and forfeited 25 percent of his purse, as well as $20,000 of his $55,000 win bonus, totaling $33,750 in fines. Silva has not competed since.

Vera, meanwhile, returned to the cage on Oct. 29, edging Eliot Marshall in a contentious unanimous decision at UFC 137. The win marked the first victory for “The Truth” since he outpointed Krzysztof Soszynski in 2009.

Lawlor has lost three of his last four fights. “The Filthy Mauler” dropped two of three contests in 2010, falling to Aaron Simpson and Joe Doerksen before outpointing Patrick Cote to close out the year at UFC 121. The middleweight fought just once in 2011, as he was put to sleep by a Chris Weidman brabo choke this past November.

MacDonald was bested by Alan Belcher in his most recent outing, falling by first-round knockout to “The Talent” at Fight Night 25in September. The Canadian was successful in his lone other appearance last year, however, as MacDonald submitted Ryan Jensen with a triangle choke in front of a partisan Canadian crowd at UFC 129 in Toronto.